Car-coupling lock



(No Model.)

Patented May 30, I899.

J. OBRIEN.

CAR COUPLING LOCK.

(Application filed Jan. 18, 1899.)

Ash X20 22] 11 9 WITNESSES: INVENTOR John OBrzlen.

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m: Monms PEYERS 00., vamuu-mor. WASHINGTON. D. c.

"UN TE STATES PATENT" OFFICE.

JOHN OBRIEN, or MANCHESTER, VIRGINIA.

cAR-oouPuNe LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 625,895, dated 30, 1899. Application filed January-18, 1899. Serial No. 702,502. (No model.) v

To ctZl whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN OBRIEN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resi: dent of Manchester, in the county of Chester? field and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Car- 1 Coupler Locks, of which the following is a set as to leave the coupling-pin free to be raised at will to uncouple cars.

Ithas been found that when a train coupled together by means of couplers of the above *types is in motion the coupling-pins are frequently jarred out of position, thus allowing the train to break in two, an occurrence always attended by great risk and frequently by serious damage to life and property. This danger can be avoided by locking the coupling-pin in position and sopreventing its accidental displacement; but it is not advisable to employ an automatically-locking devicethat is, one which would operate to lock the coupling-pin at all times;-for there are, occasions, such as when shifting in a yard, when it is more expedient to leave the couplingpin free to be operated to unlock the coupler without at the same time having to release the coupling-pin lock. My device fully meets both of thesecon'ditions.

In the drawings, in which like numerals indicate likeparts, Figure I is a View in perspective showing a coupler-head or draw-bar attached to a car and my coupling-pin-locking device set in position to leave the coupling free to be operated to unlock the coupler. Fig. 11 is a view showing thecouplingpin after it has been operated to unlock the coupler-hook. Fig. III is a View showing the coupling-pin locked securely in position.

In Fig. I, 1 is a coupler attached to a car 2 ya slot 11.

and having the coupling-hook 3, which is piv- 5o forms of gear for raising the coupling-pin 5 5 without its being necessary for the operator to pass between the cars, in which 6 is a chain attached by one end to the head of the coupling-pin and by its other end to the lever 7, which is attached to the rod 8, which is carriedin the brackets 9. At the end of the rod 8 there is attached a lever 10, by raising which and so raisingthe lever 7 the coupling pin 5 is raised to unlock the coupler.

In applying my locking device to existing couplers I merely change the original coup ling-pin for one having at its lower extremity Through this slot or perforation I pass the reduced end of the locking-bar 12, the position of theslot and the depth of the reduced end of the bar being so arranged and designed as to allow the coupling-pin 5 to be 'raised sufficiently high to release the coupling-hook 3 when the bar 12 is in the unlocked position (this is shown clearly in Fig. II) andthe depth of that part of the bar which is next to the reduced part*that is, at the shoulder 22being'such as to prevent the coupling-pin 5 from being raised when the said bar is in the flocked position. (This is shown clearly in Fig. III.)

13 and 14 are brackets which may be attached to the car-sill and which have, respectively, the slots or perforations 15 and 16, through which the locking-bar 12 passes, the slot 16 being somewhat wider than the thickness of the locking-bar 12 to permit the said lockingbar to move laterally when the coupler moves longitudinally, which longitudinal movement of the coupler occurs during the act of coupling and when the coupler is under strain during the motion of the coupled car.

17 and 18 are, apertures cut in the under side of the locking-bar 12 and which are adapted to engage the bracket 13 at the bottom of the slot 15 to hold the said locking-bar in position.

19 and 20 are studs which are arranged to side of the locking-bar 12 to prevent the accidentaldisplacement of the latter by the jolt ing of the car.

The operation of my device is as follows: When it is desired to leave the coupling-pin free to be raised to release the coupling-hook 3, the locking-bar 12 is drawn outward until the stud 2O strikes the bracket 13. The aperture 18 will then be in position to engage the bracket 13 at the bottom of the slot 15. The shoulder 22 of the locking-bar will then be free of the side of. the coupler 1, as is clearly shown by the full lines in Fig. II, and the coupling-pin 5 is free to be raised to release the coupling-hook 3, as is clearly shown by the dotted lines in the same figure. Now suppose that it is desired to lock the coupling-pin 5, so that it cannot be raised accidentally or otherwise to release the couplinghook 3. That end of the locking-bar 12 which has the apertures 17 and 18 is raised to disengage the aperture 18 from the bottom of the slot 15 in the bracket 13. The lockingbar 12 is then moved in a longitudinal direction until the stud 19 strikes the bracket 13. The aperturel? will now be in a position to engage the lower part of the bracket 13, and

upon lowering the end of the bar the said aperture 1'7 will engage the lower part of the bracket 13 to prevent the accidental displacement of the said locking-bar. (See Fig. III.) It will nowbe seen that the shoulder 22 of the locking-bar 12 is underneath the coupler and that should the coupling-pin 5 tend to jump in its socket or should it be attempted to raise the said coupling-pin by force any movement of the said coupling-pin 5 would be effectually prevented by the striking of the shoulder 22 of the locking-bar 12 against the under side of the coupler.

The locking-bar 12 can be arranged to be operated from either side of the car by simply lengthening it on that side of the coupler which is opposite to the side on which are the I brackets 13 and 14.

adapted to any existing coupler.

hile I prefer a construction of the various parts of my locking device similar to that indicated in the drawings, I do not confine myself to that construction, for it is manifestly :ently of the operation of the coupler, and adapted and arranged to enter the perforation in the coupling-pin, and having a shoulder possible to so alter the details of construction as to meet varying circumstances without changing the principle of the device.

Having now described'my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is-

1. r In a coupler, the combination with a draw-head of a coupling-pin having a perfora- 1 tion adapted and arranged to receive a locking-bar, a locking-bar independent of the draw-head and arranged to operate independadapted to abut against the draw-head to lock the coupling-pin in position, substantially as described. Y

2. In a coupler, the combination with a draw-head of a coupling-pin havinga perforation adapted and arranged to receive a locking-bar, a locking-bar independent of the draw-head and arranged to operate independently of the operation of the coupler, and having a part adapted to enter the perforation inthe coupling-pin, and having a shoulder adapted and arranged to'abut against the draw-head to lock the coupling-pin when the locking-bar is in one position, and adapted 0 and arranged to clear the draw-head and soleave the coupling-pin free to be raised when the locking-bar is in another position, substantially as described.

and arranged to clear the draw-head and so leave the coupling-pin free to be raised when the locking-bar is in another position,the said locking-bar also having apertures adapted and arranged to'engage in perforations or apertures in a support to hold the locking-bar in place when it is in either that position in which it is when it operates to lock the coupling-pin, or that position in which it is when vit leaves the coupling-pin free to be raised,

substantially as described.

Signed by me, at Richmond city, Virginia, this 16th day of January, 1899.

JOHN OBRIEN.

Vitnesses:

H. W. STAMPER, Jr., ARTHUR SoRIvENoR. 

